Non-EPA Old smoker vs New EPA stove decision

[jryan]

Hey all, can anyone help me identify this stove? It's posted on my local craigslist and I wanted to do some research before buying.

 

[jryan]

I figured it out, it's a bullard double door stove. Now to figure out what to buy. Oldschool non-epa stove or a newer summer's heat wood stove. http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay...atalogId=10051&productId=999918844&cId=detail

I'm able to get the old one for 350 and it's stated to heat 3,000 sqft but I'm worried about the wood consumption and overall safety of the older units vs the newer ones. Also, the old one doesn't have a blower whereas the new one does.

Lastly, the old one has an 8" exhaust and I have a 6" chimney.

Anyone want to chime in to make this an easier decision on me. I'm lost and can't get a hold of any of my local installers to weigh in for me.

 

[bholler]

get the new one you will be much happier

 

[jryan]

Thanks! I'll likely order this week. In that price range do you think that the Summer's heat unit is a decent one or would you recommend something else?

 

[begreen]

Summers Heat is a rebrand of Englander stoves for the big box stores. They are a good value. There are lots of writeups on them in the main forums. How big an area are you trying to heat? Where will the stove be installed?

 

[coaly]

Not only what kind of square footage are you heating, but what is your wood supply?
The two stoves you were comparing use different chimneys. And different wood.

 

[bholler]

The two stoves you were comparing use different chimneys. And different wood.

Yes different chimneys but he has a 6" chimney now and old or new the wood needs to be dry to work properly. The only difference in wood would be the length

 

[claydogg84]

Yes different chimneys but he has a 6" chimney now and old or new the wood needs to be dry to work properly. The only difference in wood would be the length

Come on bholler.. You know for a fact the older pre EPA stove will tolerate "wet" wood far better than a newer stove.

 

[coaly]

And I've seen a LOT of people order the wood AFTER the stove..... Then wish they had their old stove back.

 

[bholler]

Come on bholler.. You know for a fact the older pre EPA stove will tolerate "wet" wood far better than a newer stove.

Tolerate yes but they will work much better with dry wood just like modern ones. I never said they would not tolerate it i said the wood needs to be dry for either to work properly.

 

[bholler]

so you guys are saying that pre epa stove work as well with wet wood as they do with dry wood?

 

[claydogg84]

so you guys are saying that pre epa stove work as well with wet wood as they do with dry wood?

You know exactly what we were saying. A pre-EPA stove CAN provide heat with semi-dry wood much more effectively than an EPA stove. Obviously you should be using dry wood with both. But as coaly mentioned, people tend to order "seasoned" wood after purchasing a new stove and struggle to heat their home. My close friend splits his wood in the spring, and burns it that winter, every year. Smoke dragons are simply not very picky.

 

[coaly]

so you guys are saying that pre epa stove work as well with wet wood as they do with dry wood?

I'm saying my wood wouldn't work well in a new stove or be thrown into one.
I'm restricting myself to the Fisher Forum.

 

[bholler]

Yes i know it can be used in an old stove i have allot of customers that use wet wood in new stoves to that does not make either right. I just have a problem with people always saying old stoves work fine with wet wood and they don't work fine i am sorry they make less heat and make a mess out of the chimney with wet wood

 

[bholler]

And yes coaly even fishers work allot better with dry wood.

 

[StoveWannabe]

And yes coaly even fishers work allot better with dry wood.

That Bullard will have you running around in your "Shorts" trying to open more windows and doors. Don't over fill at first, just use right side of stove unto your used to it. Grow up with 1 as a teenager, know the people who made them and they are still using stoves made in late 1970's early 1980's. Built like a tank.

 

[Woody Stover]

Get the Summer's Heat. Get ahead on your wood supply so you have dry fuel, and buy some Bio-bricks if you have to this year to get you through. Then, starting next year you will be burning 2 cords to get the same heat as you would get with 3 cords in the old stove, and you'll offset the cost of your clean-burning stove in a couple of years, and it's all gravy from then on.